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Tesla Holiday Update: New UI for Model 3 and Y, Light Show, blind spot camera improvements & more
Just a few days before Christmas, Tesla is kicking off the holidays with a bang. This year’s Holiday Update includes a few fun surprises for Tesla owners, including new games and a few other fun features.
Teslascope, a Tesla software update tracker service, has shared that the 2021.44.25 update is being rolled out to employees for now, with a wide release following in the lead up to Christmas. Reports shared online suggest that the update works very smoothly on vehicles like the Model 3 and Model Y, however.
New Features
First off is the Light Show, which enables Tesla vehicles to dance to a choreographed light show any time of the year. The feature was a signature trick of the Model X, so it is pretty interesting that Tesla is now rolling it out to the other vehicles in its lineup. The Light Show feature can be accessed through the Toybox.
In its Holiday Update, Tesla also introduced the Customizable App Launcher, allowing owners to customize the menu bar in their infotainment systems. This should go perfectly hand-in-hand with the Model 3 and Model Y’s update UI, which now matches the interface of the Model S Plaid and new Model X that were rolled out this year.
“Drag and drop your favorite apps to any position along the bottom menu bar for easy access. To customize your menu bar, hold any icon and then drag to reorder. To adjust climate controls such as heated seats and defrost, tap on the temperature or swipe up from the bottom of the screen,” the update’s Release Notes read.
Feature Improvements
As with any update, Tesla improved a few key features, including vehicle controls, blind spot monitoring, and Waypoints.
Simplified Controls makes it easier for Tesla owners to focus on navigation, media, and the most common primary controls. The improvement should make accessing features in the infotainment system easier, so driving or operating a Tesla may be more convenient and perhaps even safer.
The Blind Spot Camera feature is probably one of the best improvements in the Tesla Holiday update, as it provides vehicles with a video feed showing their blind spot when a turn signal is activated. “You can now automatically see a live camera view of your blind spot whenever you activate the turn signal,” the Release Notes for the feature read.
The Blind Spot Camera feature will most likely improve the safety of Tesla’s vehicles. Tap Controls>Autopilot>Automatic Blind Spot Camera to enable the feature.
Tesla also made trips easier with Edit Waypoints. The navigation improvements will probably be quite useful to families taking trips this holiday. The feature allows drivers to reorder or add multiple destinations to their route. Edit Waypoints will update the arrival times for each change on the route. “To add a stop, or edit a trip, initiate a navigation route, and tap the more options button not he turn list,” wrote Tesla on the Edit Waypoints Release Notes.
New Arcade Improvements
Being a Holiday Update, 2021.44.25 is rife with a number of improvements for Tesla Theater and Tesla Arcade. Access to a popular social media platform has also been enabled.
First up is Sonic the Hedgehog, which Elon Musk himself announced on Twitter recently. Multiplayer support for The Battle for Polytopia has also been enabled, which should make in-car gaming sessions even more fun.
Sudoku has also been added to the Tesla Arcade, complete with a mode that includes a smart hint system for beginners. Also, the popular social media app TikTok is now accessible to Teslas.
Other Improvements
Update 2021.44.25 is not all fun and games. Tesla included some Cold Weather Improvements to its Holiday Update, too. Preconditioning the cabin from the Tesla Mobile App when the battery is at a lower state of charge is now enabled. First row seat heaters can now automatically regulate seat temperatures based on the cabin’s environment and control set temperature.
Managing dashcam clips is also easier, as videos can now be deleted directly from the infotainment system. Themes for the infotainment system have been rolled out, too. For instance, Dark Mode is now available for Tesla displays. Dark Mode may be a simple update, but it could make vehicles safer, as a darker display reduced the chance of screen glare for the driver.
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Tesla preps to build its most massive Supercharger yet: 400+ V4 stalls
The project will be an expansion of the current Eddie World Supercharger in Yermo, California, and will take place in several stages.
Tesla is preparing to build its most massive Supercharger yet, as it recently submitted plans for an over 400-stall Supercharging station in California, which would dwarf its massive 168-stall location in Lost Hills, California.
The project will be an expansion of the current Eddie World Supercharger in Yermo, California, and will take place in several stages.
The expansion, adjacent to the existing Eddie World Supercharger, which is currently comprised of 22 older V2 and V3 stalls limited to 150 kW, unfolds across six phases.
Construction on Phase 1 begins later this year with 72 V4 stalls. Subsequent stages will progressively add hundreds more, culminating in over 400 next-generation chargers. Site plans label expansive parking arrays across Phases 1–5 along Calico Boulevard, with Phase 6 design still to be determined.
Tesla is planning an absolutely massive Supercharger expansion in Yermo, California!!
Over the course of 6 phases, Tesla is set to add over 400 V4 stalls in a commercial development known as Eddie World 2.
The first phase, which should begin construction sometime this year,… pic.twitter.com/ks5Y5dE8lR
— MarcoRP (@MarcoRPi1) March 6, 2026
The project was first flagged by MarcoRP, a notable Tesla Supercharger watcher.
Strategically located midway on I-15 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, the station targets heavy EV traffic on this high-demand corridor.
The surrounding 20-mile stretch already hosts over 200 high-power stalls (including 40 at 250 kW, 120 at 325 kW, and more), plus 96 in nearby Baker—yet bottlenecks persist during peak travel.
In scale, it eclipses all existing Tesla Superchargers. The current record holder, the solar- and Megapack-powered “Project Oasis” in Lost Hills, California, offers 164 stalls. Barstow’s former leader had 120. Eddie World 2 will be more than double that size, cementing Tesla’s dominance in ultra-high-capacity charging.
Tesla finishes its biggest Supercharger ever with 168 stalls
Development blends charging with convenience. Architectural drawings show integrated retail: a 10,100 square foot Cracker Barrel, a 4,300 square foot McDonald’s, a 3,800 square foot convenience store, additional restaurants, drive-thrus, outdoor dining, and lease space.
EV-centric features include pull-through bays for Cybertrucks and trailers, ensuring accessibility for larger vehicles and future Semi trucks.
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Tesla makes latest move to remove Model S and Model X from its lineup
Tesla’s latest decisive step toward phasing out its flagship sedan and SUV was quietly removing the Model S and Model X from its U.S. referral program earlier this week.
Tesla has made its latest move that indicates the Model S and Model X are being removed from the company’s lineup, an action that was confirmed by the company earlier this quarter, that the two flagship vehicles would no longer be produced.
Tesla has ultimately started phasing out the Model S and Model X in several ways, as it recently indicated it had sold out of a paint color for the two vehicles.
Now, the company is making even more moves that show its plans for the two vehicles are being eliminated slowly but surely.
Tesla’s latest decisive step toward phasing out its flagship sedan and SUV was quietly removing the Model S and Model X from its U.S. referral program earlier this week.
The change eliminates the $1,000 referral discount previously available to new buyers of these vehicles. Existing Tesla owners purchasing a new Model S or Model X will now only receive a halved loyalty discount of $500, down from $1,000.
The updates extend beyond the two flagship vehicles. New Cybertruck buyers using a referral code on Premium AWD or Cyberbeast configurations will no longer get $1,000 off. Instead, both referrer and buyer receive three months of Full Self-Driving (Supervised).
The loyalty discount for Cybertruck purchases, excluding the new Dual Motor AWD trim level, has also been cut to $500.
NEWS: Tesla has removed the Model S and Model X from the referral program.
New owners also no longer get a $1,000 referral discount on a new Cybertruck Premium AWD or Cyberbeast. Instead, you now get 3 months of FSD (Supervised).
Additionally, Tesla has reduced the loyalty… pic.twitter.com/IgIY8Hi2WJ
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) March 6, 2026
These adjustments apply only in the United States, and reflect Tesla’s broader strategy to optimize margins while boosting adoption of its autonomous driving software.
The timing is no coincidence. Tesla confirmed earlier this year that Model S and Model X production will end in the second quarter of 2026, roughly June, as the company reallocates factory capacity toward its Optimus humanoid robot and next-generation vehicles.
With annual sales of the low-volume flagships already declining (just 53,900 units in 2025), incentives are no longer needed to drive demand. Production is winding down, and Tesla expects strong remaining interest without subsidies.
Industry observers see this as the clearest sign yet of an “end-of-life” phase for the vehicles that once defined Tesla’s luxury segment. Community reactions on X range from nostalgia, “Rest in power S and X”, to frustration among long-time owners who feel perks are eroding just as the models approach discontinuation.
Some buyers are rushing orders to lock in final discounts before they vanish entirely.
Doug DeMuro names Tesla Model S the Most Important Car of the last 30 years
For Tesla, the move prioritizes efficiency: fewer discounts on outgoing models, a stronger push for FSD subscriptions, and a focus on high-margin Cybertruck trims amid surging orders.
Loyalists still have a narrow window to purchase a refreshed Plaid or Long Range model with remaining incentives, but the message is clear: Tesla’s lineup is evolving, and the era of the original flagships is drawing to a close.
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Tesla Australia confirms six-seat Model Y L launch in 2026
Compared with the standard five-seat Model Y, the Model Y L features a longer body and extended wheelbase to accommodate an additional row of seating.
Tesla has confirmed that the larger six-seat Model Y L will launch in Australia and New Zealand in 2026.
The confirmation was shared by techAU through a media release from Tesla Australia and New Zealand.
The Model Y L expands the Model Y lineup by offering additional seating capacity for customers seeking a larger electric SUV. Compared with the standard five-seat Model Y, the Model Y L features a longer body and extended wheelbase to accommodate an additional row of seating.
The Model Y L is already being produced at Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai for the Chinese market, though the vehicle will be manufactured in right-hand-drive configuration for markets such as Australia and New Zealand.
Tesla Australia and New Zealand confirmed the vehicle will feature seating for six passengers.
“As shown in pictures from its launch in China, Model Y L will have a new seating configuration providing room for 6 occupants,” Tesla Australia and New Zealand said in comments shared with techAU.
Instead of a traditional seven-seat arrangement, the Model Y L uses a 2-2-2 layout. The middle row features two individual seats, allowing easier access to the third row while providing additional space for passengers.
Tesla Australia and New Zealand also confirmed that the Model Y L will be covered by the company’s updated warranty structure beginning in 2026.
“As with all new Tesla Vehicles from the start of 2026, the Model Y L will come with a 5-year unlimited km vehicle warranty and 8 years for the battery,” the company said.
The updated policy increases Tesla’s vehicle warranty from the previous four-year or 80,000-kilometer coverage.
Battery and drive unit warranties remain unchanged depending on the variant. Rear-wheel-drive models carry an eight-year or 160,000-kilometer warranty, while Long Range and Performance variants are covered for eight years or 192,000 kilometers.
Tesla has not yet announced official pricing or range figures for the Model Y L in Australia.